WEBVTT JC: A TRIP TO THE LIQUOR STOREIT IN A TAXPAYER FUNDED MEDICALRIDE.IT IS ONE OF A FEW QUESTIONABLETRIPS WE DISCOVERED IN THEPROGRAM COSTING TAXPAYERS TENSOF MILLIONS EACH YEAR.BEN: THE RISE ARE SUPPOSED TO BEFOR MEDICAL REASONS ONLY BUT NOTEVERYBODY IS FOLLOWING THE RULES.FLEX YOU'RE WATCHING ATAXPAYER-FUNDED MEDICAL RIDEWITH A DETOUR TO THE LIQUORSTORE ALONG THE WAY.AFTER PICKING UP PATIENCE --PATIENTS, THE DRIVER MAKES THESTOP.ONE WOMAN STOCKS UP AND THEN THEDRIVER TAKES HER HOME.THE FOLLOWING WEEK THEY MAKE THETRIP AGAIN.IT'S A RIDE THAT IS SUPPOSED TOBE FOR MEDICAL REASONS ONLY.THE VANIS ONE IN A PARADE OFCARDS PULLING IN AND OUT OFMETHADONE CLINICS ACROSS THESTATE MOST WITH CLIENTS ONBOARD.THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERY MASSHEALTH MEMBER.TO QUALIFY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALHAS TO CONFIRM THERE'S A MEDICALNECESSITY IN THE FIRST ANDCANNOT LIVE WITHIN THREEQUARTERS OF A MILE OF PUBLICTRANSPORTATION.NOT EVERYONE IS FOLLOWING THERULES.SOME DRIVERS ARE BEING USED ASPERSONAL TAXIS.SEVERAL PATIENTS WERESHUTTLEDTO CLINICS AROUND THE CORNER.OTHERS WERE DRIVEN LONGDISTANCES FOR TREATMENT EVENTHOUGH THERE WERE CLINICS CLOSERTO HOME AND PLENTY OF EXCURSIONSWITH SOLO PASSENGERS ON BOARD.THESE TRIPS ARE PART OF THESKYROCKETING NONEMERGENCY MEDICALTRANSPORTATION COSTS WHICHWEDISCOVERED ALMOST DOUBLED IN THELAST FIVE YEARS FROM $38 MILLIONIN 2012 TO 74 MILLION LAST YEAR.>> THIS PROGRAM HAS GONE OFF THERAILS.>> GREG SULLIVANCALLS THE COSTTROUBLING.>> WHAT YOU HAVE POINTED OUTHERE IS A CONVINCING CASE THATTHE PROGRAM HAS NOT HAD ADEQUATEOVERSIGHT TO PREVENT WASTE,FRAUD AND ABUSE.>> WE BELIEVE WE ARE NOTSPENDING THE DOLLARS WISELY ITWILL TAKE ACTION.QUITE STATE OFFICIALS SAY THEYARE COSTLY WORKING TO ENSUREPROGRAM INTEGRITY.>> IS THAT ACCEPTABLE TO YOU?>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.THIS IS MEANT TO BE USED ASTRANSFER TO A MEDICALAPPOINTMENT.>> BONNIE SAYS THE RIDE IS ALIFELINE TO MUCH INTO TREATMENTAND THERE'S NO ROOM FOR WASTE ORABUSE.>> IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THESTORE GET A CAB.QUITE SHE IS ONE OF MANY WHORELY ON THE RIDES TO GET TO THESUBSTANCE ABUSE CENTER INCHELSEA.>> DO YOU THINK THERE NEEDS TOBE MORE OVERSIGHT?>> THEY'RE PROBABLY DOES THATOUR PATIENT POPULATION COMES TOUS AT THE TIME THAT THEY AREREALLY DOWN AND OUT.BUT FOR THAT RIDE MANY WOULD NOTHAVE ACCESS AND WOULD NOT BEABLE TO GET SOBER.>> THEY BLAME IT ON350,000PATIENTS IN 2014.THE STATE IS GOING TO ASK THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR WAIVERSTO SUSPEND THE BENEFIT FOR MANY

A trip to the liquor store during a taxpayer funded medical ride? It was just one of many questionable trips 5 Investigates discovered over the past few months in a program which costs taxpayers tens of millions of dollars each year.